Filippo Filippi
Encyclopedia
Filippo Filippi was an Italian
music critic. He wrote for the Milanese
music magazine La perseveranza, and was an admirer of and frequent correspondent with Giuseppe Verdi
.
He was born in Vicenza
, and received an early training as a musician there, studying piano
and organ
. After acquiring a law degree in Padua
he decided instead to embark on a career of music criticism
, propelled by love for the music of Verdi and a need to defend it against the criticism it was receiving from some quarters. In 1859 he was employed by the Gazzetta musicale di Milano as assistant editor, but soon became editor, a position he held until 1862, at which time he became a critic for La perseveranza, a position he held for the rest of his life. He traveled to Cairo for the première of Aida
, on December 24, 1871.
Verdi was warm in his relations with Filippi, but resisted some of Filippi's suggestions to adopt some of the stylistic innovations of the Germans, especially Wagner
.
Filippi also wrote an autobiography as well as some works of music scholarship, including a studies of Alessandro Stradella
and Adolfo Fumigalli. In 1876 he published a collection of all the articles he had written for La perseveranza, under the title Musica e musicisti: critiche, biografie ed escursioni.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
music critic. He wrote for the Milanese
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
music magazine La perseveranza, and was an admirer of and frequent correspondent with Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
.
He was born in Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, and received an early training as a musician there, studying piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
. After acquiring a law degree in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
he decided instead to embark on a career of music criticism
Music criticism
See also Music journalism for reporting on classical and popular music in the media.The Oxford Companion to Music defines music criticism as 'the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres'. In this...
, propelled by love for the music of Verdi and a need to defend it against the criticism it was receiving from some quarters. In 1859 he was employed by the Gazzetta musicale di Milano as assistant editor, but soon became editor, a position he held until 1862, at which time he became a critic for La perseveranza, a position he held for the rest of his life. He traveled to Cairo for the première of Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
, on December 24, 1871.
Verdi was warm in his relations with Filippi, but resisted some of Filippi's suggestions to adopt some of the stylistic innovations of the Germans, especially Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
.
Filippi also wrote an autobiography as well as some works of music scholarship, including a studies of Alessandro Stradella
Alessandro Stradella
Alessandro Stradella was an Italian composer of the middle baroque. He enjoyed a dazzling career as a freelance composer, writing on commission, collaborating with distinguished poets, producing over three hundred works in a variety of genres.-Life:Not much is known about his early life, but he...
and Adolfo Fumigalli. In 1876 he published a collection of all the articles he had written for La perseveranza, under the title Musica e musicisti: critiche, biografie ed escursioni.